How can I find such accomodating ranges or sellers?

[mickeydim468]

I read the sticky thread about buying a handgun and wish I lived any where near the OP because I do not have such compassionate dealers or organizations around where I live, here on the southern OR coast. My local gun dealer offers a CCW training class but there is no shooting involved. Maybe to dry fire, but that's about it. I have searched threads and have only found 2 shooting ranges within 100 miles of my house. I joined the nearest one but when I went, my wife and I were the only 2 people at the range other than the guy who was showing us around. I plan on going again this weekend to see if there is some more action there then. I know the range doesn't have any organized training classes on a regular basis, so How would I go about getting more training for my wife and I? I have only shot one handgun in my entire 41 years of life and that was some 20 odd years ago. I would like to get a CCW license and a handgun for that matter, just because it is my right as a citizen to do so, and I have decided to exercise my right.

This is where my quandary begins! I hope you all can help or offer more info of places in or near my area Zip code 97420 to try to help me.

Thanks a bunch!

Mikey!

 

[rbernie]

Maybe it would be useful to post a request for a gather or help in the Rallying Point forum.

 

[warnerwh]

If you live in Southern Oregon there must be some areas to shoot besides ranges. I'm self taught. When I was young I read intently everything I could get my hands on. Then there was no problem practicing because I did and still do enjoy shooting.

A hundred miles is quite a ways. Maybe you could try to find somebody who has been shooting for years, preferably many years. I say that because there's too many Rambo's that think they know how to shoot and they do not. Please be safe.

The skill level you can achieve by reading expert advice and practicing can take you to a level that the majority of shooters will never achieve. Safety first!

 

[Clarence]

I would contact the NRA and find out when the next Basic Pistol class was going to be held in your area. Taking that class would not only properly train you in the function and usage of a handgun, but give you the opportunity to meet and network with other shooters.

 

[RonnyBaby]

I did a simple google search using the following key phrase:

gun range near 97420


and came up with the following results:

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=gun+range+near+97420


A.
Myrtle Point Sportsmen's Gun
- maps.google.com - (541) 572-5332 - More
B.
Roseburg Rod & Gun Club
- www.rrgclub.org - (541) 673-5616 - More

 

[mickeydim468]

As I mentioned above, I found a range and joined but there were few people around. We went back this past Saturday and there were quite a few people skeet shooting but only one gent at the pistol range. I talked to him and found out that he is the one who teaches the CCW class. What luck, I thought! Then we get to talking to him and find out that he does do private training but has no organized classes for a group of people. He tells me that the CCW class is $50 for a 4 hour classroom course after which they take you to the range and put in place what was learned ETC... Then he tells me that the September class is almost full. September? I'm thinking that if there is that much demand for classes, then why not have it 2 times a month instead of 1. Then he starts telling me that if I want to have him do a lesson for my wife and I, then we will need to pay him $25.00 per hour each, and he will bring an assortment of handguns for which we need to buy the ammo for and then pay him $10.00 each to shoot them.
This does not sound anything like the thread I was referring to in my above post. This sounds to me like someone who does not care about the promotion of firearm ownership, he is just out to make a buck off any unsuspecting person who happens to be new to the sport.
This is getting to be a major hassle and my wife and I may as well give up on handguns. I am discouraged and I can read how to shoot a handgun all day long but I will never know how one feels to shoot until I get to shoot one. I do not want to drop 300-400 dollars for a handgun just to find out I bought a pig I can't shoot. then have to lose money and try again. But I felt that the guy mentioned above just is trying to take advantage of a couple of newbies.

Discouraged and depressed!

Mikey!

 

[oneounceload]

Oregon has a lot of public land.....go find a spot and shoot - we did it in NV all the time - just watch your backstop

 

[mickeydim468]

We have a membership to a gun club!

We shoot on BLM land all of the time.

Here is my problem:

1. I do not own a hand gun
2. I do not know anyone who owns a hand gun
3. I have only fired 1 handgun in my life and that was 20 years ago
4. I am also trying to get a hand gun for my wife who has never shot one
5. Our local gun shop does not allow you to take the guns out and try them before you buy because there is no local range
6. I have not found anyone like the OP in the sticky thread who is a promoter of this sport and who wants the men and women in society to be best prepared for CCW, Home protection, and shooting in general!

Is there anyone on this site who lives near Coos Bay OR who owns a variety of handguns who would be willing to meet me and my wife in Florence OR sometime and show us how to shoot? We can shoot at our club and I will buy the ammo if you give me a list ahead of time.

We can shoot at any of the ranges for the rest of the day if you like and I can pay you something for the use of your guns to see what will best fit my wife and I. I cannot afford $25 and hour but maybe we could work something out there as well.

Thanks,

Mikey!

 

[mickeydim468]

I went ahead and bought a handgun!

I decided to start small, and with something that would not break the bank even if i decided later to upgrade. So i bought a .22lr revolver that has a second cylinder for .22 Magnum. I also figured I could teach my wife with it without worry of recoil issues. With the Mag cylinder in place, it should do a pretty good job for personal/home protection too.

Here is what I got:
I purchased a Heritage Manufacturing Inc. Model #RR22MB3BH with the 3.5" Barrel. It came with 2 cylinders; one in .22lr and the other in .22 Mag. This will allow me to shoot the .22lr, .22short, .22 shot. and the .22 Magnum rounds.

Here is what i think about it so far:
I took it out to the BLM land yesterday and ran 50 shots through it. I have a small metal arcade game that is made for .22lr target practice. The targets are only about 2" in diameter, so you have to be pretty proficient to hit it. I set it up at the 15 yard line I stepped off . I shot once and missed, so i shot again and this time "TANG!" direct hit. I shot it a few more times and missed a few and hit a few, but mostly missed a few. I could see I was hitting close, but most of the time, I was missing by just a little bit. The thing is, I was missing a little high and a little low and a little left and a little right. No consistency! I will need to go to the range to do some paper work to get better with it. But overall, I think I am going to be pleased with the little gun. Best part about it is that when I got home with it, my wife was there waiting and she saw it for the forst time. She loved it. She said it felt good in her hand and commented how well balanced it felt to her. She sighted it out and I let her try firing it with the safety up to keep the firing pin from being hit by the hammer. (A good way to practice your trigger pulls without damaging your gun, or running through the ammo like it was going out of style.) At least on this model.

I would still be interested in having someone from my area with handguns go to the range with me so I could shoot some other variants of handguns so I can make my next purchase. My ultimate goal in a handgun will be for carrying concealed and also be large enough to carry while hunting deer and elk to ward off or kill any and all Scratchy/Bitey prey that may try to eat me. IE... Black Bear/Cougar/Badger ETC. A camp gun if you wish.

Thanks for reading!

Mikey!

By the way, here is a picture of my new pistol.

 

[kanook]

guns and ammo has a dvd series on basic and advance hangun training. not to sound funny, if your are ever i south florida my wife and i are instructors, the class is 12 hours long (10hrs of class, 2hrs live fire) if you dont have a gun we supply one. you pay for ammo and you clean my gun if you shoot it. we do not discuss carry laws (they state to state and change to fast, we are not lawyers), we make sure the basic fundamentals of shooting a handgun are understood

 

[mickeydim468]

Kanook

I wish I were in So. Fla. I would definitely sign my wife and I up for your class. My boss for work lives there so you never know. What you and your wife are doing is exactly what I wish we had here on the OR coast. Part of gun training is maintenance and you save that part of the lesson until after the practical shooting part is over. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

Good luck to you and your wife in your endeavors and keep up the good work. I believe what you are doing is very patriotic!

Mikey!

 

[BlindJustice]

Morning, MIckey,

I've seen the title to your thread for a few days and finally read
through it. I visit my cousin in Eugene Oregon about once a year in
the Fall. He took me out to The Barons. It is north of Eugene, not
far. You can see it from I-5 to the west. Big sign, come on and shoot
a Thompson SMG. The front is the store and there are windows to observe
the firing range in the rear of the store. THey have a large selection of
handguns you can rent and try out. The Thompson I mentioned is the
WWII, .45 ACP Sub Machine Gun It's $50 and you get 2 30 rd magazines .
loaded with 25 rds each. Additional 25 magazines are $10 each I would
bet the price has gone up a little with the increase in Ammo prices though.
I did it 2 years ago.

Try calling The Barons, and ask about the selection of handguns, semi-atuos or revolvers. I think it would be good for newbies to try a Double
Action/Single Action revolver, either a Ruger or Smith & Wesson .38 Special.
to begin with. I do know one friend in Creswell OR. who has a single action and a semi-auto who might find some time in the future but right now he just started a new job. We have been talking about getting together on my next visit I could bring down some of my pistols for an afternoon of shooting.

Randall
.